Percussion fuse



3 Sheets-Sheet l PERCUSS ION FUSE W. SUMMERBELL Filed sept. 2e. 1927 Aug. 26, 1930. w. SUMMERBELL PERCUS S ION FUS E.

5 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Sept. 26, 1927 M/ om QW ON mm u w 2. 1 Mx d f wow,

W. SUMMERBELL PERCUSSION FUSE' Fild sept. 26, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 me/nto@ E] Wfl-L Eummarhell amm sited ngnlicsticn ideal september et, lt; Send En. $53,193..

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or :tor the Government for governmental purposes without the paent to me of any royalty thereon.

e subject of this invention is a. percussion F uses of tlie sll-weys type which are designed to function irrespective of the position in which e. projectile or bomb strikes on impact usuell employ double percussion plungers wliic ere conned between 'om lsects and require to be displaced 'from en asiel position in order to telescope and eidect their operation. The disadvantages of this arrangement reside in e non-uniformity of sction and in the necessity for empio 'involved safety tentures because the plunge@ must function u on 'the slightest lsterel dispincement in or er to insure troon ci2V the igniting Home to the booster.

The principal objects ot the present invention are to provide e. simple ell-wege percussion fuse in which the striker units ere mede to function as safety elements in mein taining the tiring mechanism in nnernied position; to provide n construction whereby the sensitiveness of the fuse may be readily controlled; to restrict the strikers to omni Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a. fuse constructed in accordance with the invention and shown inthe unarmed position; Fig. 2 is a similar view of the fuse in the armed position; Y

Fig. 3 is e. detail sectional view on'the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, the rotor shown in elevation;

ig. 4 is a. plan view of the rotor;A

6 and 6 are 11:5 sectionl nn rm ser es en s, ieee, es lr i' se, rese; et@ im views ci modied forms ci the inse respeco tively nnsrined'snd armed positions;

Figs. 'i endS nre similsr views of another modicstien;

Fig. 9 is a lo tndinelseionel view ilthe spp 'cation o the invention to o rogecle for f to i l to e in which there is shown e cseor #op bombs the inse cssing includes s hollow body 5 havingv e. reduced ce rees portion 6 provbI 1; for threaded sttecbnient to o projecie fr being open et its den werd end to permit introduction ci the ring mec. Tnis o end o the body is closed'lny o. csp having en snnuler exten es sion S serves to retain o Washer 9.

Tnefing meciinnism carried by tbe casing comnrises s. sing pin l0 end en smelly mounted double percussion element, the fonemost element cog of on im ect striker s@ l1 mounted to be sctneted on lies -on inipsct and the neer element consisting ci? n com striker i2 arranged to be actuated b e letemily movsble inertie. member EL3 w en the bomb stivlnes in my position other than beed- 7s on imp-ect..

@ne ein 16,. cerried by e rotor is? is held by n sneer pin i5 end is norms-ily mein'y tained in tne nne-.rmed osition ont oit asiel slinemnt nv ineens of t1 e strikers .il end l2,

tile former of which is nedly secured to the csp by s split pin i6 en d also by e releese wire i? widen is sssccisted in e. well o menn'itn the launching apparatus of the ein p o e.

.Y e: e the strikers are time secured, the lower extremity of the com striker l2 is disposed in e slot i8 in the rotor and prevents rotationnia z ,1 lacement thereof. ln the preswingecamstrikerisillustretedesso directly contacting the firing Bin 10,'but

,l z i ent is one of convenience in form ing the rotor as the striker could just es s@ contact e. cam sm'face 'of the rotor. en the split pin 18 and the nel wire 17 lieve @5 removed the forward displacement ot, the two to release the ring pin may rendil be eected by a. vaction exerted y the pin when e rotor is the rear stem of the cam striker serving as a guide therefor and its arming spring 22 is seated a ainst the washer 9. When the plunger as reached the limit of its inward movement and assumes the position shown Y in Fig. 2 the finger 20 will act as a stop and maintain the firing pin in accurate axial alinement. The forward movement of the striker units is limited by the engagement -"of the cap l7 with a collar 23 on the impact striker.

With the impact striker in the armed osi-` tion, extruding beyond the nose of the use, a plunger or lungers 24 mounted in the ca 7 and norma y restrained by the collar 1s free to move behind the collar and establish a resistance element which must be sheared before the movement resulting from impact is suicient to cause separation of the firing pin from its mounting in the rotor.

It'will be noted from Fig. 2 that the release wire 17 can not be-inse'rted` when the striker is in the armed position as the openings are `not alined and further the opening in the impact striker will be completely obstructed by the cap 7 so that the operator can not throu h error insert .the release wire only through t e striker.

The inertia member 13, which is desi ed to actuate the cam striker in all cases o impact other than axial, is an annular member embracing the forward stem of the lstriker and is mounted as a freel ioating member in a chamber 25 located tween the cap 7 and the washer 9. The inertia member is, of course, proportioned to act on thev cam surface 12 of the striker 12 with suicient force to shear the pin or wire 15 holding the rin pin in the rotor. The sensitiveness of the use may be readily controlled by the mass of the inertia member or by the inclination of the cam surface. -It will be noted that the cam striker is guided and constrained to axial movement by the washer 9, Blnger 19, and the aperture 6 in the fuse y and that in being actuated it has a point contact with the inertia member. When the projectile is in the horizontal position with .the-split pin 16 in lace the inertia member will engage behin the collar 23 and thus supplement the split pin in preventing accidental inward movement of the impact striker.

The elements of the fuse have been designed with a view to securing safety in assembly and the arrangement is such that the rotor is the iinal unit to be assembled after the cap and impact striker carried thereby :3v-acca is secured in place. The rotor can only be inserted in the fuse body when the firing pin is out of axial alinement. This is controlled by the location of the cam surface 26 on the rotor which when the rotor is inserted causes portion of the fuse body.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the cam striker 27 and the rotor actuating y plunger 28 are motivated by the same spring 29. This ccnstruction' provides greater safetv in substituting a primer detonator 30 for the firing pin mounted in the rotor as the spring will serve to maintain the striker and rimer in spaced relation and the striker will unction in the unarmed position to prevent axial alinement of the primer detonator. The striker may be in one or two parts as shown.

vThe modified structure shown in Figs. 7 and 8 functions in a manner similar to the deL vice of Figs. 1 and 2. The variation resides in the novel form of release mechanism which comprises a plug 31 servin to hold the fuse body 32 and the cap 33 in housing a spring-pressed plunger 34. This plunger normally fixed with respect to the plugby. a split pin 35 and a release wire 36 1s provided with an axial stud 37 on its inner end arran d to engage the collar 38 of the impact striker 39 and hold the firing mechanism in unarmed position. When the split pin and release wire are removed the actuating s ring 40 is free to move the striker elements orward thereby retracting the plunger 34 and enabling it to engage in rear of the collar 38. y The stud is sheared, on impact.

In order to prevent improper assembly of the fuse the impact striker is of greater diameter above the collar, restricting the penetration of the plunger and causing alinement of the openings in the plunger and plug for the insertion of the split in and release wire.

Whereas in the fuse eretoforc described the principle of the invention is shown as a plied to a fuse for bombs, an illustration 1s viven in Fig. 9 to demonstrate its a plicaility to fuses for artillery shells. fn this character of fuse the firing mechanism may be held in unarmed osition by means of a sleeve 41 secured to the impact striker 42 by a in 43 which is sheared on set-back.

order that the inertia member 45 may be removed from the iniiuence of centrifugal force during flight shear pins 46 may be carried 'by the fuse body and be engage in a recess 47 in the inertia member. l

I claim: A

xed relation and i ystriker capable when released .maracas versely movable inertia member associatedv with the striker.

2. A fuse including a casing, a rotor in 'the casing, a liring pin 1n said rotor, an actua tor normally tending to displace the rotor, secured co-axial strikers one of which normally enga es the rotor to maintain the firing pin out o? axial alinement, said strikers capable when released obeing moved to armed position by the rotor, a s ear pin engageable behind the forward striker when armed Aand a transversely movable inertia member associated withV the rear striker.

3. A fuse including a casing, a rotor in the casing, a firing pin in said rotor, an actuator normally tending to displace the rotor, secured coam'al strikers one of which normally engages the rotor to maintain the ring pin out of axial alinement, said strikers capable when released of being moved to armed position by the rotor and la transversely movable inertia member associated with the rear striker.

A. A 'fuse includin a casing, a rotor inthe casing, an element o a g mechanism in said rotor, an actuator normally tending to displace the rotor, al secured striker axially oi the fuse and normally engaging the rotor to maintain it in unarmed position, said c being moved to armed position by the rotor and a transversely movable inertia member associated with the striker.-

5. A luso including a casing, rotor in the casing, an element er a tiring mechanism in said rotor, an actuator normally `tending to displace the rotor, a secured striker axially ci the fuse and normally engaging the rotor to maintain it in unarmed position, said striker capable'when released of being moved to armed position by the rotor.

6. A fuse including a rotor, an element of a ring mechanism in said rotor and members movable longitudinally o the fuse in opposite directions for controlling the armed and unarmed positions of the rotor.

7. A fuse including a reciprocable firing mechanism and rotatably and reciprocably movable members cooperating to reciprocate the firing mechanism to armed position.

8. A fuse including a rotor, an element of a iiring mechanism in said rotor, means for displacing the rotor to armed position, and

er means normally holding the rotor in and an actuator for displac said if.

to operative position.

i?. A fuse including a rotor, an element of a iirmg'mechamsm in said rotor, means for disarmed positionfand movable by me, rotor placing the rotor to armed position and.A

striker' means movable by the rotor to operaf tive position.A

iii

10. A fuse including a rotoe, a plunger ier dis lacing the rotor to'arm position, and str1 er means normally holdingthe 'rotor in unarmed position. 'A f' '5.

il. A inse in luding a rotor, a ring mech.-v

'anism 'in said rotor, an actuator parallel to the axis of theiuse and normally tendingt/o displace the rotor and axially movable mea-neA rotor and actuated controlling release of the byA said rotor.

l2. A fuse including a rotor, a iiringmecbanism in said rotor, an actuator vparallel to the axis of the fuse and normali tendingto displace .the rotor and an axia y movable means controlling release ci the rotor.

13., A fuse includin ring pin pivotally mounted in the axis o inse, 'u er normally holding said pin out et axial alinement and capable of being moved by said pin in position to drive the pin inward on impact and an actuator for displacing said i n pin to armed position and maint' g it tere.

la. A fuse includin a .v Apl pivotally mounted in the axis o the f a striker normally holding said pin out ot t :e E alinement and capable of being movedby said pin in position to drive the pin inward on pact "l pin to armed position. l g' l5. A :use including a strrer having a c surface constrained to movement amally ci the fuse and a transversely movable inertia member embracing. the striker tor actuating said striker on impact.

i6. A including coamial strikers, means tor moving the strikers outwardly until the forward striker is extruded and a transversely movable member for actuating the rear striker.

17. A fuse including .a striker a transn versely movable shear pin securab e in 'place to hold the striker in unarmed osition, said pin when released re-engageabe to hold the striker in armed position.

. 18. A fuse including a. body, a cap for said body, an axial striker, means cou ling the cap and body and a shear pin in saidp coupling means ccntrollin movement of the striker.

19. A fuse em odying a rotor, a iiring a member carrying an element of a nng mechanism carrying member assembled to the casing after the striker is in place and having a recess for said striker, said recess positioned to receive the striker only when said member is inserted in the unarmed position.

21. A fuse, including an element of a firing mechanism normally in unarmed position Y and a member mounted longitudinally on the fuse for moving said element to armed position.

22. In a fuse, a carrier, an element of a firing mechanism in the carrier, a striker normally opposing movement of the carrier to armed position, an actuator for moving the carrier to armed position and a spring con-V fined between the striker and actuator.

23. In a fuse, a rotatable carrier, an element of a firing mechanism in the carrier, a striker normally holding the-carrier a inst movement and a single spring for simu taneously movin the carrier and striker.

IAM SUMMERBELL.

miams 

